3/4 profile bust portrait of "James Sproul of Octoraro . 1781 -1847 ." Subject's face towards viewer. See notes for additional information regarding date of gift and donor.
According to the "Papers Read Before the Lancaster County Historical Society, February 1, 1907, Minutes of the February meeting:
The following donations to the Society were announced by the Librarian: A large frame photograph of James Sproul, once a prominent citizen and iron master on the Octoraro Creek, below Christiana, donated by his grandson, Hon. W. C. Sproul, of Chester Pa.
The presentation of the Sproul portrait was made by Dr. J. W. Houston, who accompanied it by an address of considerable length, in which the career of Dr. Sproul was sketched, showing him to have been a man of mark in the earlier period of the county's history.
William Cameron Sproul (September 16, 1870 – March 21, 1928) was the 27th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1919 to 1923. He also served as a state senator from 1896 until his election as governor in 1919.
Oval picture set in rectangular frame. James Buchanan is shown wearing a blue jacket with white buttons, tan vest, and white shirt and tie. Hair is brown. 3/4 front and turned to his left. Frame has scroll-work inlay, black and red. Back of frame is 'Lou
Oil painting on canvas landscape painting, depicting a dense forest in the foreground with a calm lake behind and cloudy sky. Frames in a heavy, highly ornate Rococo revival gilt frame. Signature 'H D Martin' in red paint.
Dimensions given are for painting not including frame.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-01-31
Condition Notes
Painting needs cleaning; surface is very dirty and there is crazing of paint.
Object ID
W.1989.109.001
Notes
Homer Dodge Martin was born in Albany, NY in 1836. A pupil, for a short time, of William Hart, his earlier work, similar to this painting, was closely aligned with the Hudson River School. During the 1860s he spent the summers in the Adirondacks, Catskills and White Mountains, and painted landscapes from his sketches.
Painting, St. Jerome, European. Oil on canvas on board. Portrait is of bearded, bald, older man with upturned head and rapturous expression, eyes turned heavenward.
Glossy varnish over oil; canvas adhered to oak panel. Mounted in gold-painted, early, molded pine frame, likely older than painting. Wood liner, painted copper, allows painting to fit frame.
Contrived arrangement of strips on reverse mounts and secures board. Split oak panel has two thin walnut strips epoxied across back for support.
Old paper sticker printed "11" pasted to upper left corner of back. Upper right corner has old newsclipping pasted and covered with plastic strip. Article titled "Mifflin Paintings Sold at Sale" notes estate sale of Grace Minich estate in Columbis. Handwritten at top is "8 JULY 1967."
Provenance
Owned by Mifflin and hung in his home. Brought back from Europe by J. H. Mifflin. Apparently inherited by Grace Minich and sold among approx. 35 turn-of-the-century paintings, July 8, 1967."
Gold painted molded pine frame with painted wood liner.
Object Name
Painting
Material
Canvas
Medium
Painting, Oil
Height (in)
14.75
Width (in)
12.5
Dimension Details
Frame size is H: 23 inches x W: 19 inches.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2015-01-27
Condition Notes
Oil on cavas has bubbles and other raised points; some areas of abrasion. Panel split top to bottom with cupping. Wood strips epoxied to back for support. Board has white in pores. Recent wood strips contrived to hold board.
Gold paint on frame is flaking with multiple losses. Upper corners and lower rail all have gesso losses.
Object ID
2015.017.2
Notes
St. Jerome was one of the scholars of the early church. Born around 347, he later translated much of the Bible into Latin, called the Vulgate.
Oil painting of person walking on road toward river where 3 sailboats are visible. Red and yellow leafed trees with hill on opposite side of river visible in background. Painting on piece of highly acidic wood. On reverse "EICHOLT PAINTING FROM PONTZ ESTATE." Frame is three eighths inches with gilded top/front surface and one eighth inch curved bevel.
Oil painting of fall colored trees on land jutting our into river. Two small white sails on water. backed on a piece of highly acidic wood. Frame is three eighths inches, gilded top/front surface with one eighth in curved bevel.
Watercolor portrait of James Buchanan in profile, facing left. He wears a black coat and waistcoat, pale tan shirt with high, very white collar, and soft tie or cravat. His white hair is styled high at the crown and combed back on the sides. Very pale blue eye. Delicate grey and tan washes over background. Portrait is an 8.75in x 6.75in oval created by reverse painted glass. The glass is painted black with gold semi ellipses and diamonds arranged to create a sunburst like effect. The glass is 10in x 8in.
The reverse is inscribed "James Buchanan drawn from life at Wheatland February 10th 1866." Inscription is under a 10.75in x 8.75in piece of glass that has been built into the back of the frame. Some damage has occured from nails scratching the back of the frame upon hanging.
The frame is 3in wide, painted gold in alternating bands of shiny cool toned gold and matte or brushed warm toned gold. Losses around the edges reveal plaster, ochre and black or dark grey paint under the gold. Top edge of the frame is black either from paint or dirt.
Provenance
Descended in an Eastern Shore, Maryland family, purchased in 1948.
overall dimensions provided. See description for component dimensions.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-05-11
Condition Notes
loss of gold paint on outer edge of frame. Dents and chips on frame. Discoloration on gold frame, possibly from tape or stickers. Loss of paint on glass at left side and upper right corner.
Oil on wood panel. Profile painting, half length, of a young woman facing left front, hands not showing; medium light reddish hair, center part with comb at top of head. Curls in front of ears, grey eyes; high-waisted white gown with double lace ruffle collar around neck, pink rose at collar opening, gold double chain necklace, red shawl around shoulders covering arms; gold colored chair back right, greenish-grey background. (Beal)
Inscriptions: Ink script at top of frame back is "Elizabeth Cecilia Leman / Born 1814 died 1834." This is repeated in script at board back. At top left in script is "Adelia Leman / 1880."
Recent paper label by previous owner William Shand, at frame bottom is: "Young Woman of Leman Family / Possibly Elizabeth Cecilia Leman / (1814-1834), by Jacob Eichholtz / #459 in 'Jacob Eichholtz' by / Rebecca J. Beal / See Ellis & Evans 'History of / Lancaster County', p. 523 / W.S." Smaller paper sticker alongside reads "Young Woman / of the / Leman Family / by Eichholtz".
The number G.80.130.2 is painted at top right of wood panel. This was a Heritage Center number, due to an ownership dispute. See File.
Provenance
Beal writes on page 136, "Collections: Miss Adelia Leman, Lancaster; Mr. and Mrs. William Shand, Lancaster."
Painting is mounted in reproduction gold frame, held in place with four mending plates at sides. Remnant of old paper dust cover on back along frame. Conserved in 2002.
Very large oil on canvas, life-size portrait of Simon Cameron (1799 – 1889) sitting in an armchair in his library, turned partway to the right. Dressed in black coat, trousers and sash around neck. Left arm rests on writing table and paper with writing is hanging over the edge, secured by Cameron's left hand. No. 42, No. 56 stamped on stretcher strip.
NOTE; DOUBLE NUMBERED - 2016.999.7.
The words are difficult to read, but reportedly express Cameron's wish for the creation of a "slave army," as written in his first report to Congress in 1861. Lincoln was angry, since it was his decision to make and not Cameron's. Lincoln expunged the statement from the report and demanded that already printed copies be retrieved. See NOTES
Provenance
For several weeks before the presentation to Cameron, the portrait was in an exhibition in the Academy of Fine Arts.
Although the donors expressed their wish that the portrait be passed to the Cameron children and grandchildren, it somehow ended up with George W. Hicks, apparently a friend and/or neighbor of Cameron. He was a noted educator and long-time justice of the peace of E. Donegal Twp. Hicks died at his Maytown home in May of 1904. At some point, Mrs. Geo. Hicks donated the painting to LCHS. It is obvious that the Hicks admired Cameron since they named their son Charles Cameron Hicks (1883-1961).
H: 72 inches x W: 58 inches. Gilding w/ corners lavishly decorated w/ composition flowers, scrolls and leafage.
Object Name
Painting
Material
Paint, Canvas, Wood
Medium
Painting, Oil
Height (in)
56
Width (in)
42
Dimension Details
Frame is: 72" x 58"
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-11-07
Condition Notes
Minor blemishes across surface; canvas is not stretched adequately. Frame has significant losses, particularly at corners.
Object ID
1930.015
Notes
On Wed., July 19th, 1865, Cameron was presented with his portrait at his home on Front St. in Harrisburg by representatives of the Union State Central Committee from Philadelphia. During the ceremony, James N. Kerns "addressed General Cameron in behalf of the committee charged with presentation of the portrait. "He said that the Union men of Philadelphia, having a high appreciation of his worth as a citizen of Pennsylvania , and desiring to bear testimony to his services in assisting to carry the old Keystone State on the side of the Union, in the great political contest at the ballot-box in 1964, had caused this portrait to be painted by one of the best artists in the country, and charged the committee now present to present it to Simon Cameron..."
-- From an article in the Harrisburg Telegraph, July 22, 1865. (copy in file)
